Tom Mannion

Tom Mannion was born in Lynn, Massachusetts.[1] Mannion served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 2004 to 2008. He earned a high school diploma from Westfield High School and a bachelor's degree in computer engineering from the University of Massachusetts at Lowell in 2012. Mannion's career experience includes working as a software engineer.[1][2][3]

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

USMC infantry veteran running to continue the work in Concord of keeping government out of your lives and wallets.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

Remove as much government from the lives of granite staters as possible. With the successful repeal of vehicle inspections, we have a template to chip away at unnecessary costs incurred by average folks due to government regulation. We can continue to reel in burdensome laws that are near-universally agreed to be unnecessary.Keep lowering taxes, encouraging businesses to relocate and bring jobs. Continue adding pathways for localities to vote for tax caps and start reigning in spending at the local level.Pass Defend the Guard, requiring US Congress to formally declare war before our State militia can be sent to oversees combat.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Health freedom, taxation, veterans issues, foreign policy.

Tom Mannion did not complete [the profile publisher]'s 2024 Candidate Connection survey.

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I'm a Marine Corps Infantry veteran, current software engineer, and moved to New Hampshire in 2020 to escape the lockdowns of Massachusetts. I am running for office to prevent the type of tyranny we experienced due to the overreaction of the state and federal governments from ever occurring again.

My focus is on reducing the size and scope of government, and restricting the circumstances under which emergency powers can be used, the duration they can be in effect, and what businesses can be effected. Deeming Wal-mart and McDonald's as essential, while shuttering gyms and small businesses is a disgusting abuse of corporatist power wielded by the government to the benefit of lobbying interests at the expense of you and I. Your livelihood is NOT non-essential.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

Reduce the ability for governments to destroy our livelihoods through unnecessary, open-ended states of emergency.Prevent Federal interference in our state and in our everyday lives, whether it be vaccine mandates, lockdowns, or failed gun control polices.Continue to reduce tax burdens with commensurate spending reduction at the state.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

State and Federal overreach

State of emergency reform

Over-taxation and wasteful spending

Civil liberties, due process

Firearm ownership

Victimless laws

DCYF reform

Education freedom

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

Former Congressman Ron Paul. He single-handedly shaped my interest in politics. He was one of the only people to vote against the war in Iraq, against pressure from his party. That is the kind of attitude I adopted - unwavering against peer pressure, sticking to principles when I know I'm right.

His fiscal policy and economic knowledge were unparalleled when he served and helped spark the Tea Party movement, bringing us great legislators like Thomas Massie, Justin Amash, and his son, Rand Paul.

Is there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy?

Atlas Shrugged

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Fiscal responsibility

Understanding and respect for liberty

Ability to plan ahead

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

Honesty, integrity, critical thinking, fiscal responsibility, respect for the individual.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

To serve on behalf of his constituents and address their concerns. Even if they didn't vote for you, it's important to not forget that you are their voice in Concord.

What legacy would you like to leave?

I protected New Hampshire citizens from state and federal overreach, allowing businesses and families to thrive in freest state in the nation.

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

OJ Simpson trial is the first one I remember, but obviously 9/11 was a far bigger and more influential one on the direction of my life.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

Lifeguard in high school for a couple years.

Followed by USMC 0311 for 4 year enlistment.

What is your favorite book? Why?

Dune - every other SciFi epic lifted something from it. It was the OG.

If you could be any fictional character, who would you want to be?

The Doom Slayer

What was the last song that got stuck in your head?

In my head right now - Ultimate Sandwich by Ninja Sex Party.

What is something that has been a struggle in your life?

Asking others for help.

What do you believe is the ideal relationship between the governor and state legislature?

The governor should execute on the laws written by the legislature.

What do you perceive to be your state's greatest challenges over the next decade?

Granite staters will be recovering from the economic disaster caused by the 2020 lockdowns for the next decade. The world economy grinded to a halt, restarting that engine is going to take pain and time. We must remain vigilant and remember the current suffering caused by big government to prevent any future attempts to push tyranny on the people under the guise of "emergency."

What are the benefits and drawbacks of a unicameral state legislature, in your opinion?

In New Hampshire, the joke is that the House is for the people, and the Senate is for lobbyists, and it appears to be true.

However, the solution isn't to do away with the senate, as checks in balances in the bill making process are important. The solution is to vote in better senators.

A unicameral legislature would create a bigger choke point where special interests could hijack the entirety of the law writing power. It's always better to have gridlock than a floodgate for bad policy.

Do you believe that it’s beneficial for state legislators to have previous experience in government or politics?

Yes, but I also favor term limits. The limits should be for each held office, allowing experience and favorability with voters to carry successful people up the chain.

Do you believe it’s beneficial to build relationships with other legislators? Please explain your answer.

Yes, the more individuals working together on a bill, the less chance for something to fall through the cracks. Building bridges across the aisle should also be considered, but polarization in the current political climate makes that extremely difficult. I consider myself rather moderate on several topics (criminal justice reform, drug decriminalization, etc) and would be willing to help the other side with improvements in those, I just would like them to reciprocate in other areas.

What process do you favor for redistricting?

I'd like an open-source algorithm to calculate districts.

If you are not a current legislator, are there certain committees that you would want to be a part of?

State and Federal Relations, and Veterans Affairs.

If you are a current legislator, what appealed to you about your current committees?

N/A

Is there a particular legislator, past or present, whom you want to model yourself after?

Hershel Nunez has been a great help to me during my campaign process, and his voting record is identical to my feeling towards bills.

Are you interested in running for a different political office (for example, the U.S. Congress or governor) in the future?

No, my interest is to protect the people of New Hampshire from Federal interference, and the best place for that is here at home crafting bills to nullify the Federal government.

Tell us your favorite joke.

Democrats are the anti-war party.

Should the legislature oversee or grant the use of emergency powers?

Yes. The governor should only have a limited window when enacting a state of emergency. Any extension beyond the 2nd state should be voted on by the people's representation.

Do you believe that compromise is necessary or desirable for policymaking?

It is necessary, but only on the margins of issues to help craft a strong bill that takes edge-cases into account. The other scenario would be a stepping-stone legislation that starts moving in a good direction.

For example, if cannabis legalization is impossible to pass, voting "no" on a compromise bill that decriminalizes it just because it "doesn't go far enough" is a foolish vote.